Spartan Supporters

Some of them drove some of them flew, a few of them even took a train, but no matter how they got to Cambridge they were all in sections 16, 17, and 18 of Bright Hockey Center last night decked out in green, cheering on the Michigan State hockey team.

Their bright green outfits pompoms, and loud cheers made them hard to ignore, but among the Spartan fans, one devoted supporter distinguished himself.

With a green Viking hat on his head, a shamrock on his cheek, and a banner in his hand. Dave Borgman, a hefty man in his mid-30s, was the consummate MSU fan. The Harvard hat impaled on the horn of his headpiece was the finishing touch.

"The hat is made of real buffalo skin," Borgman explained "I only wear it on championship occasions."

Borgman has been a Spartan devotee for more than six years, and has missed very few of their games during that time. In order to catch this game. Borgman left East Lansing. Michigan early Thursday night in his motor home and reached Massachusetts sometime Friday after-noon. Despite the long hours he has put in on the road. Borgman plans to leave Cambridge after tonight's game.

Although Borgman has established new standards of spectator support, the Crimson faithful impressed him. "I didn't think any of you guys would be here but this is a good crowd. They swear as much as we do," he said with obvious admiration.

Not all of the Michigan St. fans were so ostentatious as Borgman, but almost all of those who made the journey last were as devoted Many of the 400 or so Spartan supporters belong to the MST Blue Line Club, a group not affiliated with the University whose sole function is to support the hockey team.

Two members who were at last night's game. Walden Miller and Roland Hawes, have been following the Spartans since 1967. They took a three hour flight and are staying at the Copley until Sunday. Although they have only been to Boston once before, neither of them was particularly interested in seeing the sights--outside Bright, that is.

After coming such a long way, you can be sure the MSU faithful would not sit passively by and watch the game Every few minutes or so. "Go Green, Go White" could be heard emanating from sections 16, 17, and 18. The infamous gong, and the chants of "Boring" from the Harvard stands did little to dampen their enthusiasm.

"I felt like a minority," said Dawn Harrington, a Michigan State junior, one of the few students who made the trip. "But it's like that at all the away games, and we do the same thing to opposing fans at home."

Harrington and her friends, who will head up to Vermount to go skiing tomorrow for the rest of their spring break, even found some of the Crimson cheers amusing. The state school cheer-was funny, but the one about the ref and his wife was queer," she said.

The dedication of these people who journeyed over 800 miles to see two hockey games was not unappreciated Spartan head Coach Ron Watson said after the game. "The fans are great and it's nice to have them here."

Most of them will only be here as long as their hockey team is They have little interest in seeing either Boston or Harvard.

As Borgman put it, "There's nothing else after the game, is there?"